In a fiery speech at the National Assembly Sunday, PTI's Shandana Gulzar made startling allegations about her treatment and the state of the country under the current government, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Gulzar claimed she was kidnapped on August 9 last year by masked individuals who demanded she join either Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's party or Maryam Nawaz's party.
"I was told to join either 'Bilawal's or Maryam's'," she stated, revealing the coercion she faced.
The lawmaker also spoke out about the treatment of women within her party, citing the arrest and mistreatment of female members.
"Our women were arrested. Tayyaba Raja was dragged by the hair," Gulzar recounted, highlighting the rough handling of PTI women.
Gulzar criticized the recent budget, calling it a tool to ruin the people, and questioned the economic decisions made by the current coalition government. "This budget was made to ruin people," she said. "Why did PDM sink the ship of the country?"
She accused the government of indebting the nation further with $21 billion in loans, expressing her dismay at the current economic conditions.
"Gave us 21 billion dollars in loans," she noted, pointing to what she sees as fiscal mismanagement.
Gulzar argued that democracy should be about serving the people rather than personal vendettas. "Democracy is the best revenge," she stated, urging the government to focus on the country's welfare rather than political rivalries.
She also lamented the emigration of educated youth from Pakistan, a trend she attributed to the current administration's policies.
"In two years, 1.5 million literate children have left Pakistan," Gulzar said, stressing the long-term impact on the nation's future.
Gulzar concluded her speech by defending her party leader, Imran Khan, and criticizing the government's approach to opposition leaders. "If you don't like Imran Khan, then it's not a problem, but you would have spared the country," she said.
She condemned the imprisonment of the woman she credits with saving Pakistan from COVID-19, underscoring her discontent with the government's actions.
"The woman who saved the entire country from Corona has been sent to jail," she remarked.